Skin tags

What are skin tags?

Skin tags are small, soft, skin-coloured growths that hang off the skin and look a bit like warts. They’re very common, harmless, and can vary in colour and size – from a few millimetres up to 5cm (about 2 inches) wide. Skin tags are usually found on the neck, armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks.

What are the causes of skin tags?

Skin tags are made of loose collagen fibres and blood vessels surrounded by skin. Collagen is a type of protein found throughout the body. Both men and women can develop skin tags. They tend to occur in older people and people who are obese or have type 2 diabetes. Pregnant women may also be more likely to develop skin tags as a result of changes in their hormone levels. Some people develop them for no apparent reason. Skin tags tend to grow in the skin folds, where the skin rubs against itself, such as on the neck, armpits or groin. This is why they tend to affect overweight people who have excess folds of skin and skin chafing.